to ask you for your best skint meal ideas please? And what to buy at lidl to help this?

[Margaritte]

I did ask for lovely, budget, impressive looking meals last week.

However, the shit hit fan for us, financially, for the next month or two. So now I really need to know what I can buy & cook. Now it just needs to be healthy & dirt cheap and less impressive . Taste buds haven't died in this shit situation, so if its fairly yummy will help too, although I realise that's not the main priority.

I have to figure out breakfasts, lunches and dinners. My dc & dh take packed lunch with them, & dd & I eat at home. I have a bit in already, which I'm so grateful for, as it gives me a 'head start'.

I have got advice from StepChange today and they were great, so that bits sorted.

Just a bit of back ground ( so I'm not drip feeding) I am recovering from PND (mostly good days for a while) However, during having it, cooking / meal planning etc would cause me a lot of distress. I'm starting to get back into cooking now, and sometimes enjoy it. I don't want to slip back into the upset & frustration I used to have around the weeks meals, so as easy as possible would be helpful too.

I didn't RTFT but did anyoe suggest readng a girl called jack? Jack monroe is the undisputed queen of feeding kids tasty wholesome food that's healthy and cheap

Also, my mum's tip for tortilla/wraps- just get a pack, open it and roll each one up in the bag they came in then freeze. Easy to take out one at a time, they defrost in minutes and keep their goodness, and last well in the freezer. This can be paired with "veg pate" left over veg roasted mushed with kidney beans to make a paste with garlic that's tasty and healthy- a sealed pot lasts a few days in the fridge

Lidl's coconut milk is better than any other I have ever bought and cheap and I like their freshly baked stuff.

Lidl and aldi do cheap pork shoulder joints. Bung in slow cooker for 7 hrs then have a roast if you fancy it, there will be tonnes left over so you can have it in wraps/rolls with potatoe wedges and may even have enough to add some tinned tomatoes for a ragu type thing. All for £2.89!

Also poach a whole chicken (look at nigella 's praised chicken for ideas) as you get so much meat off the bird this way.

Veg chilli....fry an onion, peppers if you have them, add a tin of tomatoes and a can of beans either mixed beans, kidney beans, anything you have and chilli powder. Simmer and serve in jacket potatoes or with rice.

Aubergine bake...slice an aubergine and brush with oil and grill/bake till browned slightly. Fry an onion and add a can of chopped tomatoes...and reduce for a few minutes. Layer the tomato sauce in layers with the aubergine. Top with mozzarella or any other cheese and bake till cheese is melted. Serve alone or with bread and salad.

Or even cheaper (and no additives) try Pataks coconut block? Around £1 for 4 sachets so loads cheaper. It's a pure ingredient, you can cook in it as an oil, or dilute with water.

I think the key is bulking stuff out and flavouring it with really tasty (not necessarily cheap) ingredients. Things like chinese 5 spice, parmesa or it's equivilent, smoked paprika, pesto, smoked bacon or ham and smoked fish (farm foods). Fish pie is cheap with frozen fish and extra mature cheese on top of the mash. Frozen basic chicken portions are good for stews. I stock up on basics mushy peas for thickener for soup - lovely in ham soup with dumplings. Pancakes can be made with water or half/half milk and water. You can add oats to savoury stews. Passata tastes more 'rounded' than chopped toms for pasta sauce. An onion, frozen veg, herbs and 1/2 tub of basics philly (about 50p in lidl/aldi) makes a lovely sauce. Rubber chicken. I cook two so that DTs have a leg each and so does OH. There are about a million different uses for left overs. If you can be bothered to make stock from the carcass it makes a great base for risotto. Frozen broccoli, pasta and the rest of the tub of philli is a quick dinner. You can put the broc in the pasta pan at the same time. Custard is a good desert, as is basics tinned fruit and ice cream. Feels decadent. Scotch pancakes with chocolate dots in are cheap to make and, again, they feel like a treat. You can use up brown bananas this way. In fact if you can get yellow sticker bag of bananas they make good fruit bread, smoothies and ice cream too. I have no need to economise. I am just as tight as banjo strings

Not read whole thread so apologies if repeating suggestion.

Tin tuna (I get sainsburys basic in brine - v cheap) with tin of chopped tomatoes plus black pepper and any herbs you have to hand makes nice pasta sauce. I like to chop olives into it too. Lidl big jar olives v nice. Sauces goes a long way. Also leftovers can be cold for next day packed lunch.

Also like sainsbury value tea bags. And sainsbury bacon ends to add flavour to things. Agree chorizo good for flavour - again a little goes a long way.

Also a big chicken (lidl ones fine) roasted and then rather than slice it up use a couple of forks to shred it. You get a big mound of meat and can make loads of sandwiches, add some with veg and stock for chicken pie, use with fried rice or omelettes etc. goes way further shredded than it does carved.

I like sainsburys basic fishfingers too. In fact am a big fan of their basic range. 60p for ten.

I haven't read the entire thread so sorry if this has been suggested but come and join us on the frugal thread - we are always sharing recipes on a budget and can offer plenty of other money saving ideas too. Sorry, can't do link on my phone but look out for a new thread starting in June!

Since Easter I've swapped to Lidls from Morrisons. I don't buy nappies and cleaning stuff (except washing powder and softener when on offer), and I do one big asda shop a month for this and value tins, which I tended to do when I shopped at Morrisons too. Our weekly shop is now close to.£50 down from £80. Personally I've found the meat to be much, much better quality than any other supermarket. Appreciate that it's not budget but their rump steaks are £4.50 ish for two and tasted better than the butcher steaks for twice the price. We regularly buy pork mince (1.99) and chicken mini fillets 2.39 ish which is big enough for 4 adults in a pasta dish. I also buy the large chicken breast packets for £5 which have at least 6 breasts in them. I pound one of the breasts flat and grill it, add a jacket potato and salad and dinner is less than 1.50 per head. Their fajita sets are super tasty and cheap and for a treat their fake magnum ice cream are awesome. The cats love their food too

The BBC series on saving money with food (Greg Wallace presented it) inspired me to swap to Lidls and had lots of tips like using frozen veg and fruit.

I also use moneysupermarket to compare pricy goods like nappies to get the best deals.

Batch cooking mince, pasta sauces etc are better value. I made a lovely roasted tomato and pepper sauce last week (this morning recipe) which I split into portions and will get at least 5 meals out of. When I can't afford fish I buy fish fingers on offer, strip the batter and make fish pie or cod in white sauce. Things like cauliflower cheese are also super cheap and easy. I make mini meatballs out of sausages too.

Should also add I'm not 'budgeting' when I shop atm. If I took off treat items like ice cream and the random items aisle, I would be spending c.40 instead. Also if you have space I'd recommend growing herbs. For £3 a plant from b&q you can save a load from buying fresh and really improve your meals. Sage thyme and rosemary are the hardiest.

"Pretend chicken" is the chicken veggie substitute

Just logged in, and seen all the replies. Thank you so much MNetters. I will sit down later & write down ideas.

Look up a girl called jack

Smoky bacon and tomato spaghetti

spaghetti
120g approx smoked streaky bacon (although I've used back) sliced into think slices
1 onion chopped finely
1 clove garlic chopped finely
smoked paprika (if you have it)
2 x can chopped tomatoes

Put spaghetti on
cook bacon 3- 4 mins
stir in onion cook 3 - 4 mins
add garlic and paprika and cook for 1 min
add tomatoes bring to boil, bubble for 5 mins until thickened stir to stop it catching drain pasta and mix together.

This one is both cheap and easy, you can get all the ingredients from Aldi, Lidl or any supermarket basics range

Soups are your friends too;

potato and onion - I lived on at uni - couldn't be cheaper, just potato, onion and stock, dried rosemary if you have it.

Lentil soup - whatever veg and lentils and stock (tip use a ham stock cube for a bit of extra flavour)

Homemade houmous (without the tahini as that is expensive) blend tinned chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and a pinch of paprika and seasoning together

tortillas; cheap new potatoes (Aldi and Asda have very cheap right now) eggs, onion and whatever bits you have, maybe some cheese other veg that's cheap in the shops, ham or bacon beat some eggs, put a bit of them into a pan then add other things add the rest of your egg and cook gently until getting solid, finish under a grill. Serve in wedges.

Here are two meals that you can make from Lidl, which may or may not be cheap enough:

1. Chicken parmesan

Buy:
Kilo pack boneless skinless chicken breasts
Jar Italian pasta sauce: tomato basil
Bag of grated mozzarella cheese in the dairy case
Bag of pasta, whatever shapes you like

How to prepare:
Preheat oven to 180
Put a spoonful of pasta sauce sauce on bottom of oblong glass baking dish
Arrange the chicken breasts on top (there are normally about 5 per pack)
Pour rest of pasta sauce on (I then put about two fingers of tap water in the jar, replace the lid and shake, then pour that on too.)
Grate or shake a few tablespoons of parmesan on top
Bake in oven, uncovered for 32 minutes
Serve over boiled pasta

My kids love this and it tastes good for something so lazy. I think the fat from the mozzarella melts into the sauce and makes it taste nice.

1. Smothered Pork Chops

Buy:
4-6 Pork Chops, bone in
Onions
Garlic

You must have at home:
Flour
Chicken stock cubes
Salt/Pepper
Bay leaf
Cooking oil

How to prepare:
Preheat oven to 145
Dredge pork chops in seasoned flour (flour with some salt and pepper)
Fry pork chops for a minute or two on each side in a little oil, then set aside on a plate (don't worry about cooking them through, you just want some nice colour)
Then add more oil if needed and fry up 2 cups worth of thinly sliced onions until soft
If your pan is oven proof then just add pork chops back to the pan; if not, then place pork chops and fried onions in a new oven proof dish
Pour two cups of chicken bullion over the top (made from a stock cube)
Put a bay leaf or two in
Leave in the oven for 3 hours

It should smell great, the meat should be so soft it fall off the bone and there should be loads of gravy. I serve this with mashed potatoes and a whatever green vegetable is available.

Shop at tescos but sure they have similar where you shop. I winner in our house is filled pasta/tortellini White tesco carbonara sauce and pancetta cubes. I buy spinach and spilt the bag into about 4 freezer bags and add that to the pasta. I get a mince, pork chop and then a whole chicken from tesco in the 3 for £10. Mince does for a Bolognese or lasagne, in the chops you get 6 in a pack so we have two each for a dinner with mash and veg etc then have the others with nice rice and veg. I cook the whole chicken and have it for a dinner with something and use the left overs for sandwiches or a curry which I bulk out with lots of veg.

Could anyone give advice on how to plan these meals without the stress please? (see OP) I want to use as many of these as possible - they are all great!

Get a cheap chicken if you can (no it won't last a week!! but you can add little bits of it to rice (cook more from the day before) with veg, chilli and egg, you can even add some tinned ham and do a fried rice. Make a stock for your soup. Not sure if that will be too expensive though. I can't make one last loads of meals but have been known to get 2 plus stock from one.

I've tried to give you less labour intensive ideas things you can just chuck on like soup or are done quickly. It wouldn't be good for you to get distressed again.

Don't go into Lidle unless you have something you have seen, compared and know that's it's cheap. On Saturday they have porkchops. Now that's s good deal.

Fish cakes, the basic ones, even Waitrose do 2 for like £1.25. That with some frozen peas/oven chips/mash and a dollop of tartate sauce/mayo is a very cheap but filling & yummy dinner.